“Eighty-five yards through the heart of the South.” In one play, former Ohio State Buckeyes and current Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott raced into college football lore. Just one carry — one which made history in a College Football Playoff semifinal against the Alabama Crimson Tide — casts a sizable shadow for any successor on its own, say nothing of the standout career Elliott enjoyed in Columbus. Elliott’s shadow is long enough that early indicators from Ohio State fall camp suggest several players will be used to fill it. Curtis Samuel is one of them — he could be viewed as merely a face in a large crowd — but he may be the Buckeye equipped to carry the mantle for the first-ever College Football Playoff MVP. Urban Meyer has stockpiled an impressive stable of candidates for primary running back duties, a testament to his staff’s efforts on the recruiting trail. Dontre Wilson will gain opportunities in 2016, as well as talented youngster Mike Weber. Of that trio, however, Samuel is the most game-tested. He functioned well as a complement to Elliott in the running game in 2014, rushing 58 times for 383 yards and reaching pay dirt six…
Continue Reading: Curtis Samuel can fill Ezekiel Elliott's big shoes at Ohio State
